Preschool Letter Z for Zebra Activities
Welcome to the Letter Z, we’ve finally completed our Letter of the Week activities with the Teeny Tot! She’s had a great time, but since she isn’t quite 5 yet, we’re going to repeat some of the LOTW with K4 activities mixed in for the remainder of the year.
This week she’ll be having fun with Zebras!
Letter Z Memory Verse: “Zacchaeus make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” Luke 19:5 Click here to download the verse puzzle. (Note: I use this with my 2nd grader, not prek) For our verses and accompanying games/stories we use the following books:
ABC Memory Verses & My ABC Bible Verses
Letter Poking Page: I found this fun idea on Activity Mom. Instead of tracing, we are going to use a toothpick, or we have these cute Oversized Push Pins, to poke holes through the paper in the shape of the letter. Print on regular paper for easier poking, and do this one on carpet Another idea would be to hole punch along the lines of the letter as well. Both work on motor skills!
She also did a coloring page from my A-Z Collage Worksheets. You can also use letter ‘z’ stamps, stickers, or paint on zebra stripes. Use your imagination!
Zz Tracing Card: This is new, I made it for kiddos who aren’t quite ready for my pre-writing or writing practice books. Its large and easier to trace. You could use markers, or laminate and use with Expo Dry Erase Markers
Zebra Coloring Page: We color this, paint it, or use markers. I found some that fit my 3 year old well, they’re called Pip-Squeaks Washable Markers. They’re shorter and easier for her to use. These pictured are chubby markers, they also make a skinny version. I got mine at Wal-mart.
Zebra Size Sort: Put these in order small to big or big to small then discuss which is largest, smallest and medium.
Zebra Magnet Page: I use this with a cookie sheet and these pom-pom magnets I made from pom-poms and self-sticky magnets from the craft isle in Wal-mart. I also use these magnets from Amazon: Power Magnets, 0.78 inch Diameter, Assorted Colors
Zebra Color Puzzles: I cut these little guys out then cut them in half in as many interesting ways as I could think of to make tiny color matching puzzles. Strawberry Shortcake thought it would be fun to wear her Zebra shirt in honor of the letter Z this week!
Zebra Puzzle: Cut along the guides for a fun 6 piece beginner’s puzzle!
Zebra Counting Cards: I use these with either mini-clothes pins, colored paper clips, or put a hole in them and have her attach chain links to them. Whatever you use, just have them put on the correct amount for the number on the card. These are also good for putting in numerical order. We put the correct amount of glass beads on each card based on its number.
Zebra Cutting Practice: Simple print and let your child try cutting along the lines! It is great for working on fine-motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
Zebra Pattern Activity: Just use the pieces to practice pre-math pattern skills.
Zz Do-A-Dot Worksheet: We use Do-a-Dot Art Markers with this! The Do-A-Dot sheets remain one of her favorites. You can also have them make a pattern with the colors, or use stickers or magnets with these sheets as well.
Zebra Letter Matching: This is a fun letter matching activity, that practices both upper and lowercase letters recognition!
If you’re looking for more challenge, use the uppercase card with the lowercase letter disks or visa versa! (The download includes upper and lowercase letter disks and activity cards) Click here to see the process of making the letters.
Zebra Lacing Card: I make sure to laminate this one for durability, then punch with a hole punch every inch or so for lacing practice. Teach them patterns to do with this as well, like up from the bottom each time, or in-out-in-out sewing. Whatever pattern you can think of.
Roll A Zebra! I found the idea on Play 2 Learn Printables, and had to make one for my alphabet collection! The game is simple, cut out the pieces (they’re on pg2 not shown here). Roll a die and place the piece of the puzzle indicated by the number rolled. Its a fun way to practice number recognition skills! I like these fun Giant Soft Dice
Capital/Lowercase Zz sorting: Simple, just sort the uppercase and lowercase letters.
Zebra Floor Numbers: I made these large floor numbers so that we can play a hopscotch type game. I call out a number and she jumps to it! You could also have them put the cards in numerical order. Today, she put them in a row in random order then said the number as she hopped on each one.
This one she pulled out on her own. It’s our Happy Birthday Jesus puzzle from Alphabet Alley. It doesn’t start with letter z, but she wanted to do it and who am I to stop her from playing with something that will work her logical thinking skills?
Zebra Graphing: I laminate this and then have them either color in the dots with Expo Dry Erase Markers, or put bingo markers on it. The Teeny Tot is using some glass beads we found at the craft store. You can also use stickers, cheerios, goldfish, you get the idea :o)
Zebra Dominoes: I printed these cards in several different color combination’s so you can play a fun game of domino’s that’s on a prek level. Simply match up the zebra game pieces so that like colors touch to play the game.
Letter Z Scavenger Hunt: Fill the box with things that start with Z! Some ideas: zebra, zipper, zigzag, zero.
11 x 11 Pin Geoboard: We use these to make letters, numbers, shapes etc!
Foam Letter Builders: I cut the shapes from foam and let her use them to make the letters. You could also use my Magnetic Letter Builders as well!
Finger Tracing Paint Bag: This is simple and fun, I filled a bag with tempura paint, you could also use cheap shaving cream. Then I’ll tape it to her desk for her to practice writing her letter on using her finger. You could also skip the bag and put shaving cream on your counter if you’re feeling brave ;o) After we do the letters we do numbers, shapes, and whatever else we can think of!
Letter Collage Worksheets: The download includes letters A-Z as well as a collage idea sheet. We use the collage items as objects to decorate our letters for an alphabet book. We also color, paint, and stamp them. Since we use both upper and lowercase, I have provided both for you! Click here to download the Letter Collages:
Color Cubes: I found a new use for our Large Alphabet Lacing Cards! First we traced the letters with her finger, then we used our 1″ building blocks to make the letter. She also picked 2 colors of blocks and did a pattern as she made her letters! We also use them for lacing practice, but this was a new variation since I’ve been making the shaped lacing cards too! Click here for more fun with Creative Color Cube Activity Cards
Letter Bead Lacing: I’ll put an index card in this box with the word zebra so she knows the order of the letters. I got my lacing beads from Lakeshore Learning but these look more fun to me: Bead Bazaar Lacing Kits – Alphabet Lacing Kit
Letter Z Reading Suggestions:
More Letter Z Fun and Crafts:
- Homeschool Creations Letter Z
- Delightful Learning Letter Z
- First School Zebra Activities
- Deep Space Sparkle Zebra Painting
So those are just some of what I managed to capture via photos this week, but you can click here to download all of the Letter Z preschool activities, or check out my Letter of the Week preschool curriculum to get the entire alphabet all at once!